Woman escapes, dog dies in Riverview barn fire

A Riverview woman escaped a fire in the pole barn where she was sleeping, but her small dog perished, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue officials say.

The woman, who was not identified, was sleeping in a trailer in a pole bar at 13021 Lincoln Rd. when it and another pole barn on the property were engulfed in flames along with a nearby shed, HCFR spokesman Ronnie Rivera said in a media release.

There was a boat and a 5th wheel trailer, with its owner sleeping, inside the pole barns when the fire broke out shortly before 2 a.m. said Rivera. The woman safely escaped before HCFR crews arrived, but her small dog, who was in a small dog enclosure at the time, perished, Rivera said.

Rivera did not know the name of the woman or the dog or its breed.

There were no injuries to civilians or fire rescue personnel, Rivera said.

Firefighters extinguished the fire within 30 minutes preventing any other damage to surrounding structures. An HCFR investigator was called to the scene, said Rivera.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The pole barns, shed, trailer and boat were a total loss, said Rivera. The Red Cross was called to help the trailer owner with food, shelter and clothing.